The Everlasting Nightmare
by xJesseex
Summary: When Mario and Peach meet Prince Dargoul, a character with plans to make everyone fall into an eternal slumber, a new adventure begins for the princess and the plumber. A sequel to Super Paper Mario. Done! I completed my first story! 13 Chapters! R&R plz!
1. Twisted Dreams

The Everlasting Nightmare

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**1. Twisted Dreams**

"…**And once the light orbs are recovered, the dimension shall close, the void shall weaken…"**

"Gweh heh heh! This book is despicable… The light orbs shall never be acquired.. Not if I'm around!"

The grim looking character walked away into the depths of the darkness…

**MEANWHILE…**

"Mario! Mario!" Shouted Peach, frolicking across a field of flowers.

Mario was running to her, as happy as can be. Until…

The skies turned dark, it started to pour and to thunder… A dark hole opened up in the sky, sucking in everything… Peach, her castle, everything! And soon it will be Mario's turn!

"NOOOOOOOOO!!"

Mario had woken up by then, for the scream was not his, but his brother, Luigi's. He was having a nightmare. It seemed so terrifying, so gloomy… Could he possibly be having the same dream as Mario?

"Mario Bros! Mario Bros!"

Mario rushed to the door, only to find a toad waiting outside.

"Mario! Oh, Mario! It's horrible! Toads at the Mushroom Castle are having all sorts of bad dreams, and they can't wake up! We've tried and tried to awaken them, it's just no use!"

Mario explained to the small Toad that Luigi was in the same dilemma. He then decided to accompany the Toad to Peach's Castle, dragging the sleeping Luigi with him.

They finally arrived, and the Toad noticed that the sky grew darker than before. This was an emergency.

Mario opened the castle door. There wasn't anyone inside.

"They're all in their rooms!" Explained the Toad.

Mario wondered why the Toad beside him was not under the spell…

The duo noticed Peach at the top of the stairs, a devastating look in her face.

"Mario! Beside you!"

All Mario could see beside him was the Toad, troubled. Can Peach see things other people can't?

"Mario! You're in danger! That's not a Toad!" Exclaimed Peach.

"So… You see me?" Asked the Toad.

Mario delivered a blow to the Toad's head, sending him flying to the wall. That revealed the Toad's true nature. It transformed into this dark creature with gleaming red eyes wielding a wand of some sort.

"Gweh heh heh! It is I, The Devil of Darkness, The Ghastliness Ghoul, The Nightmare Master… Prince Dargoul!"

"Prince Dargoul?" Questioned Peach.

-Correct! Here to bring nightmares to everyone around the world! With my Darkness Dimension finally created, everyone who has a "pleasant dream" shall soon have that dream sucked into to my new dimension, twisting it into a horrid eternal nightmare! With my dimension, the world shall never see the light of day… It will be nighttime all the time! Gweh heh heh!

"That'll never work!" Shouted Mario.

"Oh, but it has already started! Soon, you too shall suffer the fate of having your dreams twisted into nightmares… It's just a matter of falling asleep… And with that, I bid you farewell. I have already gave you enough information on my scheme. Adios! We WILL meet again…"

Dargoul disappeared into a cloud of purple smoke.

The ground then started to rumble, as if the castle was being swept away to an unknown place… And that's when everything turned black.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	2. Flipping On To a New Adventure

The Everlasting Nightmare

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**2. Flipping On To a New Adventure!**

"**You… You disobeyed me…"**

"**I had to do what was right, Simona…"**

**--**

"Hmmm… Hm.. Huh?"

Princess Peach and Mario had waken up in a very familiar room…

"Could it be?" Asked Peach.

"So you're finally awake!"

A man cloaked in blue emerged from the shadows of the back room. It was Merlon.

"Merlon! So are we in…"

"Correct! This is Flipside! Welcome back. I had to transport your castle here, and by chance, you and Mario were inside. It is not just a simple coincidence!" Answered Merlon.

"What do you mean by that? And why did you move my castle?!"

"I have been studying a book lately. The book says that in 2008, the devilish Prince of Darkness shall complete his plan. That same prince has made a portal to a different dimension inside your castle."

"But I didn't notice that…"

"The prince from the book, "Countering the Nightmare", was creating a dimension to fulfill his plot. He hid the portal to that dimension inside a maiden's castle, and from that castle shall emerge two heroes."

"So, are we…?"

"Most likely, yes. You are probably the two heroes. That means that if this book is correct, you must shine the light of 100 Luminas at the highest point in Flipside to wake up everyone from their nightmare."

"What are Luminas?" Asked Mario.

"Luminas are extinct creatures that our ancestors sealed in orbs until the year 2008 would come. Every orb holds 10 Luminas, and if you bring them to Flipside Tower and release them from the orb, the portal that the prince made in Peach's castle would shrink and people would awaken from their nightmares. There are 10 orbs. So if you collect all of them, the light of 100 Luminas will save the dimensions."

Mario explained to Merlon that he had a nightmare, but he awakened from it.

"Only the chosen heroes can awaken from their nightmares. I don't know what the Darkness Prince is plotting, but he must be stopped. The more people that have the nightmare, the closer Dargoul gets to completing his plan. Your job is to collect the orbs to close up Dargoul's Darkness Dimension with him inside it, so he can never escape. Once that is done, people will wake up and peace will return."

"How do we find the Light Orbs?" Questioned Peach.

"The book only tells about one, hidden deep inside the Jungle of Wrah. Head there and retrieve it. Unlike last time you were here, during the Count Bleck conspiracy, doors don't appear atop Flipside Tower pointing to the next orb. You must eat and sleep by your own means on your adventure. There's not a second to lose! Visit Flipside and Flopside rarely on this quest. The Jungle of Wrah is east of here. Hurry now!"

"Gotcha!" Exclaimed Mario.

"Oh! I almost forgot one thing. The book says to give you this."

Merlon handed our heroes, Mario and Peach, a strange compass.

"It's the Clue Compass. You'll know what to do with it soon enough!" Merlon explained, a wide grin on his almost completely cloaked face.

The daring duo set off on a new adventure, where they might run into new friends and old. Leaving the slumbering green-wearing plumber behind at Merlon's, Peach and Mario set off courageously towards the Jungle of Wrah to find the first Light Orb. What awaits them there? What secrets lie within the heart of Prince Dargoul? They shall soon find out…

**MEANWHILE…**

"Hmmm… Jungle of Wrah? Search for the light orbs? I don't think so! Gweh heh heh! Now, who will be the first volunteer to stop these pure-hearted fools?"

"I'll give it a shot, your highness!"

"Hurry now, Claire. They're already on their way…"

"I won't let you down, my prince!"

**END OF CHAPTER**


	3. The Wild Expedition

The Everlasting Nightmare

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**3. The Wild Expedition**

"**You betrayed me… You must face the consequences, Griff."**

"**I had to do what was right for my son."**

--

"There! I see it!" shouted Peach.

The duo started to notice more trees than before in the scenery as they walked into the location of their first Light Orb, the Jungle of Wrah. What awaited them inside this tropical maze?

"Something doesn't seem right…" said Mario.

The first obstacle in their jungle expedition already came in view: A giant rock wall. There's no way around it, or over it.

"If we can't go over, we go inside!" exclaimed the princess.

"Or we could go under…" suggested Mario.

"Under? How are we supposed to go under?"

Mario indicated a hole in the great. It seemed to lead the other side of the stone wall.

"It looks like somebody was here… And they're possibly still in the jungle…" said the always-cautious Peach.

The two jumped down the subterranean passage that, without a doubt, leaded to the other side of their obstacle. Who could've dug this hole?

The crew proceeded to the other side, continuing their search for the Light Orb that holds the power of 10 Luminas. That is when the compass Merlon gave them started to glow.

"What? The Clue Compass is glowing!" shouted Peach, surprised.

The compass pointed deeper inside the jungle. Could it be locating the orb, or could it sense danger?

Our heroes approached what seemed to be a shrine. They always had the feeling that they were being watched… And this time, it's not the eyes on the trees and mountains that are watching them…

Suddenly, a young girl wearing explorer clothing leaped out of a bush.

"Good day to you, adventurers. I am Janet, a young explorer. Will you be so kind as to help me decipher the riddle of these ruins?" said the mysterious girl.

"Hmm… How do we know you're not going to trick us?" asked Mario.

"I see. I believe you are not wanting to know the riddle then… A shame, it is." answered Janet.

"Fine! We'll help." exclaimed Peach.

"Ah, how nice of you to cooperate. Here is the riddle."

The explorer handed a piece of paper to our princess. She began reading it.

"It says… The one who wishes to proceed, these instructions must he heed. Past the rock with a stone nose, pull the vine and the passage glows..." explained Peach.

"The rock with a stone nose… Does that mean the rock with a face over there?" questioned Mario.

"Probably so. Heed the instructions so we may continue." said the impatient explorer.

Peach and Mario followed the instructions clearly, going past the rock with a stone nose and pulling the vine to reveal the way to go.

"Here's the vine…"

Mario tugged on the vine, revealing not the passage, but a hole beneath our heroes' feet!

The princess and the plumber fell down the hole, screaming for help from the strange Janet. They yelled and yelled, but they received no answer. Janet has fled.

"Oh my! We fell for it!" shouted Peach.

"There's gotta be a way out of here!" said Mario.

That's when Princess Peach felt something hit her. It was cold, not very heavy, and it dirtied her dress. It was dirt. Mario and Peach were being buried!

"Ha! You really thought I would let **YOU **get to the Light Orb first huh?"

A face appeared from the top of the hole. It was Janet.

"Janet! I knew we shouldn't of trusted you!"

"Oh, but you did! So now you're stuck down there, ha! Good night, have a great afterlife!" shouted Janet.

She continued to bury the two in dirt and sand. What will become of our heroes?

"Oh, and by the way, it's not Janet. The name's Claire, one of Prince Dargoul's loyal servants!" announced Claire, in disguise.

The duo was almost completely covered by what Claire was throwing down at them. Could this be the end of their journey, even though it just began?

**END OF CHAPTER**


	4. Guardian of the Jungle

The Everlasting Nightmare

NOTE- I'm sorry this chapter is a little longer than the others, but I promise, I'll shorten up the other chapters to come.

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**4. Guardian of the Jungle **

"_**This is your job, son. You must do it, you have no choice."**_

"_**But, father… **_

"_**Quiet down, now. Listen to your dad."**_

"_**One day, I shall fulfill my wish…"**_

--

"I'm running out of air… I can't breathe…" said Princess Peach.

"Me too!" answered Mario.

The two were still stuck in that hole. Janet, er… _Claire_ was gone, and she finished burying Peach and Mario. Right when they began to lose hope, a burst of light appeared from the surface. It was light enough to pierce through the dirt and shine on our heroes' faces.

"Hello? Hellooo?" shouted the stranger.

"Yes, hello! We're down here!" answered the princess.

The duo started to see rays of light shining down on them. Someone was digging them up.

When they were finally out, they had a chance to get a closer look at their savior. Where did he come from? Who was he?

It was a man, cloaked in dark clothing. He didn't look too old, but his manly voice would make you think he's an old man.

"Who are you?" asked Mario.

"I must ask you the same. What are you doing here?" the stranger responded.

"We fell for a trap. We thought we were done for! My name is Peach, and this man beside me is Mario."

"Well, well! Pleasure to meet you both. Are you perhaps _princess_ Peach, by any chance?"

"Yes, that's right!"

"Hmm.. And you, Mario… Are you maybe a plumber?"

Wondering why this man was asking these questions, Mario simply nodded.

"I see." said the man.

"Why do you ask, sir?" questioned Peach. "And what is your name?"

"My name… Perhaps I can tell you… My name is Griphaun." (Pronounced Gri-Faun)

"Griphaun… No offense but, that's a pretty strange name." said Peach.

Griphaun did not look pleased, though he simply examined Peach and Mario. It's as if he knew them or something…

"Well, then. I shall surely see you two once again. Farewell."

Griphaun slowly walked away to the outside of the jungle. What was that all about?

"Hurry, Mario! We gotta keep moving! That Claire girl is gonna get to the Light Orb before we do!" exclaimed Peach.

They followed the direction that the Clue Compass was pointing at. Hopefully, it located the Light Orb. Mario and Peach arrived at a pedestal surrounded by many crushed pillars. To the back of the pedestal what a tomb, and on the pedestal was a glowing ball. Could it be?

The compass started to produce all sorts of strange lights. It was, without a doubt, the first Light Orb.

"We found it!" screamed the excited Mario.

Peach walked up to the pedestal and placed her hands on the Light Orb. The ground then started to shake.

"What going on?" shouted Peach. She let go of the orb. It seemed stuck to the pedestal.

A bunch of leaves and twigs came out from the tomb in the back. The wind started to blow harder. The sky grew dark.

The twigs and leaves merged together to form a horrible, terrifying, threatening monster. It roared loud enough to break windows.

"AAHH! What IS that thing?" screamed Peach.

"_**I AM THE GUARDIAN OF THE JUNGLE. MY NAME IS GROGGLE. WHAT DO YOU SEEK FROM ME?"**_

"Umm… Mister Groggle, sir… we, uh… Gulp… we would like the Light Orb. You see, we are the heroes sent to collect them and stop the Everlasting Nightmares occurring around the world." explained the terrified princess.

"_**THE LIGHT ORB? TREASURE OF THE JUNGLE? IT SHALL NEVER BE YOURS. HEROES OR NOT, YOU MAY NOT HAVE IT. NOW **__**LEAVE**__**!"**_ shouted the beast.

"He won't listen. We have to fight." said Mario.

"Oh! Look!" said Peach, indicating an injured person lying on the ground beside the pedestal. "It's Claire!"

The hurt Claire was mumbling something…

"He's… Too strong…"

… and she then disappeared. She no doubt returned to Dargoul's lair.

Mario began to fight the creature, but in vain. Groggle was blowing winds so powerful, they could whisk Mario away to the Mushroom Kingdom!

"He's invincible!"… That's what Mario and Peach _were_ thinking, until Peach came up with a plan.

"Mario! The monster is made of twigs and leaves! Which means… he's vulnerable to fire! Let's light him up!" she shouted.

"Where will we find a fire?" asked Mario, trying to hold off Groggle.

"We have to _make _one!" Peach exclaimed.

She grabbed two sticks and a log and started to rub the sticks together. At first, it wasn't working. But the spark she was creating grew larger and larger.

"Hurry, Princess Peach! I can't hold him off much longer!" screamed Mario, desperate for some help.

"I almost got it!"

BAM! A perfect fire! She grabbed on to the log and threw it at the monster with all of her might, and it was a success! The monster caught on fire, crumbling to the ground.

"_**NOOOO!! I'VE BEEN BEATEN…"**_

Groggle was destroyed. The branches and leaves composing him scattered all around the jungle.

"We did it!" shouted Peach.

"Bravo, I say! Bravo! What a fine show!"

Claire appeared with a hint of anger and embarrassment in her expression.

"I'll be taking the Light Orb now, so it can never be used again!" she said.

"Never!" shouted Mario.

Peach ran up to the orb, and this time, it came off the pedestal.

"RUN!!" screamed Peach.

The heroes ran from Claire, escaping to the entrance of the jungle. They've lost her.

"Phew! That was a close one!" exclaimed Mario.

Though Claire was no longer on their tails, they continued running towards Flipside, where Merlon was waiting for them. It took a while, but they finally arrived.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	5. The Stolen Book

"Why are you in such a hurry

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**5. The Stolen Book**

"_**I.. I love you Simona… Do not do this.."**_

"_**I'm sorry Griff, I must. You didn't listen to me. I've wanted to do this since we got married."**_

"_**No.. Simona! Stop!"**_

"_**Farewell, Griff."**_

--

"Why are you in such a hurry? I see that you've retrieved your first Light Orb, hmm? Come with me atop Flipside Tower." said Merlon.

They took the elevator to the top of the highest point in Flipside, the town's tower.

"You must release the Luminas from the orb right here." explained their magician friend.

Mario stood exactly where Merlon told him to, and unscrewed the top of the Light Orb. A blinding light illuminated Flipside, and no doubt other places, too. It lasted a few seconds, and then the light faded away.

"Did it work?" asked Peach.

"Let us find out." answered Merlon.

He brought them to Peach's castle. (He transported it to Flipside, remember?) They went inside one of the rooms and found a dark portal of some sort. It was an opening to Prince Dargoul's "Darkness Dimension".

"The portal is indeed smaller than the last time I've seen it. Which means you've successfully used the orb's power." explained Merlon.

The duo remembered that Merlon told them that when they collect the orbs, the portal will get smaller and smaller until it closes up, with Prince Dargoul in it. He'll never be able to escape.

"If the portal to Dargoul's Lair is here, why don't we just go inside it and defeat Dargoul?" asked Mario.

"Dargoul is making everyone fall asleep because the nightmares are coming out of that portal. If you walk in, you'll fall asleep for certain, even if you are immune. The darkness radiating from this passage is too strong for you to enter it… yet." explained Merlon.

The Clue Compass then started to glow again. It was pointing west, in the direction of Coalway Town. It was a town of rogues and cowboys where everyone relied on the riches in the coal mines to survive.

"You should be on your way. Soon, the entire world will be engulfed in Prince Dargoul's nightmare. I fear I may be next…" said Merlon.

Peach and Mario nodded as they made their way west of Flipside.

**MEANWHILE, AT A SINISTER CASTLE…**

"Claire, you're useless!" shouted Prince Dargoul.

"I'm sorry, master… They fled…" answered Claire.

"No excuses! I expect better work next time, hmm? We need a plan… I've heard a book called "Countering the Nightmare". I'm certain that weirdo Merlon has it. Powz, you go snatch it for me, understood?" said Dargoul.

Powz, an imposing fellow with long, wide arms and agile, but big feet, was not a pretty sight to see. He was more brawn the brain, just like O'Chunks, Count Bleck's minion from the last time Mario was in Flipside.

"I'll do just that, me lord! And if that Merlon tries to fight back, I'll give em' a good stompin'!" exclaimed Powz.

The menacing muscled fellow leaped out of the portal and set out for Merlon's house.

"Everything is going according to plan… Soon, everyone in the world will suffer from my nightmares. And once that happens, this dimension will grow and the entire universe will transform into this Darkness Dimension!" shouted Dargoul.

**BACK AT FLIPSIDE…**

"Good bye, heroes! Be back quickly with the next Light Orb!" shouted Merlon, waving to Peach and Mario in the distance.

"Now I'll get back to studying the book… **OH MY!**"

Merlon turned around to find his home in ruins! (Well, only the inside was trashed…) The book was gone!

"Oh no! If Prince Dargoul reads this book, he'll find out everything! Where the Light Orbs are, where the heroes are headed… This is **HORRIBLE!**" screamed Merlon.

**BACK AT DARGOUL'S CASTLE…**

"I have thee book, me lord!" announced Powz.

He handed the book to Dargoul.

"Perfect!" said Dargoul, as he began reading it. "It seems that the heroes are immune to my nightmares…"

"So, there's no way to get them to sleep forever?" asked Claire.

"There is but _one_ way… We must put them to sleep ourselves!" claimed the prince. "Meloda! Find the so-called "heroes" and work your magic!" said Dargoul.

"Right away, my prince! I'll play them a lullaby they'll never hear again! Heh heh heh!"

The minion departed, searching for Peach and Mario.

Will our heroes survive hearing the music of Meloda, loyal servant of Prince Dargoul? Or will they end up having a nightmare in which they'll never awaken from, just like Luigi? Keep reading, and reviewing! Chapter 6 will be up soon!

**END OF CHAPTER**


	6. Mayhem in the Mine

The Everlasting Nightmare

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**6. Mayhem in the Mine**

"**Daddy… Daddy! Don't go!"**

"**I am sorry, my son. It was… for you."**

"**Daddy! Why? Why did you have to cure me? If it meant saving you, I would've accepted my faith!"**

"**The… darkness…"**

**--**

"Uggh… Are.. we… almost there?" asked the exhausted princess Peach.

The compass just kept glowing lighter and lighter, until they reached a humongous cliff which they could not scale.

"I'm too tired to go around this cliff! Let's go rest at that cabin." suggested Peach, indicating what seemed to be a deserted, old, beat-up shack.

The two barged into the small house. It was awfully dark, and the princess was awfully freaked out.

"Yuck! I'm not spending the night in here! There are cockroaches everywhere you look!" shouted Princess Toadstool.

"Watch your tongue, missy!"

A stranger appeared from a room in the back. He seemed like an ol' redneck, dressed in overalls and sporting a straw hat.

"Now, who might you fellas be?" asked the man.

"My name is Peach, and this is Mario. We're searching for Coalway Town… do you know of a faster way to get across the big cliff?"

"I reckon that there ain't no way to get across that cliff… aboveground. By the way, my name's Dilly." answered the hillbilly.

"What do you mean… aboveground?" questioned Mario.

With a hand gesture, Dilly indicated to our heroes to follow him to the basement.

"I dug up this ol' tunnel me self. I used to collect treasure down here. I used it as a mine. It leads straight to Coalway. You fellas be careful down there! This road may be my own, but I gots no ideaer what's crawling down here…"

The princess let out an "Ew!" and then the two were off. It was quite a long road to Coalway Town. Many torches illuminated their passage, but were there _really_ strange creatures under here, like Dilly said?

The trip seemed to go smoothly. Until… the duo heard footsteps. It wasn't their footsteps, obviously, since they paused and dozed off for a while. Someone.. or some_thing _was inside the tunnel with them.

"It's only our imagination!" claimed Mario. "Let's get back to sleep…" and the plumber did just that.

Though Peach was too terrified to sleep, she decided to lay down and observe her surroundings. That's when it happened.

She heard rocks falling from the back of the tunnel, and the sound was getting louder and louder. Peach was petrified. Suddenly, a man ran by her, heading to the end of this dastardly place. He looked _very_ familiar…

The princess didn't have time to think, though. The rocks that were falling was the sound of the tunnel collapsing! They would get squished of they didn't get out of there soon!

"Mario! Mario! Wake up!"

Peach shook Mario, doing the best she can to wake him up, but in vain. She had only one option. She had to carry Mario out of the tunnel.

Mario must've eaten to must pasta, since he was very heavy for the poor princess to carry, though she had to make an effort if she didn't want to be smooshed.

Finally, she noticed a light at the end of the tunnel. And in this case, the light is _good_!

She bolted out of there like if she was on fire, and the road collapsed behind her. The tunnel was filled with rocks, blocking Mario and Peach's way back.

They had finally arrived! Coalway Town! Mario had finally woken up, and when he asked the princess what happened, she replied: "You don't wanna know!".

Mario and Peach followed the directions of the Clue Compass, glowing like a star in the sky. The heroes observed the town and the townsfolk, with their old, half-destroyed houses and their baggy pants and cowboy hats.

The arrived in front of a coal mine.

"Yeeeeehaw!! Make way, make way!"

A chubby looking fellow, riding a horse, rushed out of the mine. He looked like he was in a hurry.

"Who was that guy?" asked Peach.

"We call him the "Crystal-lovin' Cowboy". He owns this here mine. In fact, he owns all the mines in this town!" answered a local citizen. "You ain't allowed in the mines without his permission."

"Then we're just gonna have to pay this "Crystal-lover" a visit!" said Mario.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	7. An Old Friend, a New Villain

The Everlasting Nightmare

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**7. An Old Friend, a New Villain**

"_How long must we wait, Griff?"_

"_**The time will come. I don't know when… but it's probably in a **__**long**__** time. Just be patient, my darlings…"**_

"_Griff, this dream of yours__…__ is it really worth it?"_

"_**Why are you questioning my perfect plan? You'll have everything… Power, money… You can even take on human forms! I will let you all rule by my side."**_

_**--**_

Mario and Peach asked around for the "Crystal-lovin' Cowboy's" refuge. They pointed out that he had no certain home, and he came to visit this town rarely. Our heroes were lucky that they arrived before he left!

"Now, where would a crystal lover be? If he loves crystals… he must sell them for money… That's it! The bank!" shouted Peach, confident in her idea.

The duo headed to the bank of Coalway Town. This town seemed poor, but the cowboy they were hunting owned every mine in Coalway. He was definitely here!

They looked around the building, only to be disappointed. No cowboy in sight. That's when Peach went to ask the banker if he saw the cowboy earlier.

"Well, that ol' crystal lover always comes in to sell his gems at 3:00 o' clock. He just came a while ago. I reckon you're out of luck…" he said.

"Darn! We'll just have to keep looking." said Mario, with a hint of anger and disappointment.

Peach and Mario were just about to give up hope when, luckily, the cowboy came barging into the bank. Mario and Peach were utterly shocked at what they saw.

The "Crystal-lovin' Cowboy" was… Wario!

Peach shouted "Wario, Wario!", but he ignored the princess and headed to the front desk.

"I asked for _two _grand! Not one and a half grand! Gimme 500 more and I'll be off!" grumbled Wario.

"Yes! Right away, sir!" answered the banker. He seemed… frightened.

The man handed the yellow-wearing cowboy the sum he demanded. But before Wario could exit, Mario bounced in front of him.

"Wario! Could you please take us to the mine you were in a while ago?" asked our _favorite _plumber.

"Mario?! And Peach, too?! What are you two doing here?"

Peach, Mario and Wario headed outside to chat. Peach explained their journey, and what they needed in the mine.

"Hmmm… I suppose I could let you in. But only because you're friends! And there's _one_ condition!" said the chubby mustachioed man.

"And what would that condition be?" questioned Peach, uncertain.

"You have to let me join you on your adventure!" replied Wario.

"J-join us?!" shouted Mario and Peach.

"Yea, join you! I'm tired of this old wreck of a town! Even though these jewels are making me rich, I have enough money to spare, and the fame will make me even richer! You have no choice; I'm helping you guys out!"

And with that, the duo became the _trio_ as our heroes headed to one of Wario's mines. The skies were already getting darker over Coalway, and Wario noticed that some villagers were sleeping, but it was only 4:00 PM!

Our friends entered the mine in hopes of finding the Light Orb easily. The Clue Compass was glowing strongly in front of a wall.

"I'll take care of this!" shouted Wario, as he punched the wall. It came crumbling down after.

There, sitting atop another pedestal was one of the ten Light Orbs. Wario rushed up to it, drooling at the sight of the sparkly object.

The yellow cap wearing fellow placed his big hands on the orb, remove it from it's resting spot, thus triggering an unbelievable earthquake!

"Wario! Hold on to the orb and let's go! The mine will crumble on us!" shouted Princess Toadstool.

They ran as fast as they could to escape the mine, and right when they thought they were safe…

A cloud of purple and pink smoke appeared in the air. Suddenly, out came a dastardly figure, dressed kind of like a clown, with a pink bow and a large grin on it's face.

"Gah! Who is that?" shouted Mario.

The figure revealed itself completely and the smoke disappeared.

"Thy name is Meloda, composer of music to sooth thy hearing, and twist thy dreams… Heh heh heh…" said the apparent villain.

"Meloda? Who sent you here?! It was Prince Dargoul, wasn't it?" questioned Peach.

"Indeed it was! We have acquired to book made to counter our evil plans from that Merlon fellow. I was sent here to put you to sleep and make you suffer the faith of everyone else!" announced Meloda.

"Put us to sleep? Ha! Us heroes are immune to having the Everlasting Nightmare!" said Mario.

"And that's where you're wrong! The book says it all. If we put you to sleep ourselves, you aren't immune at all! Heh heh heh!" said the clown-like villain. "Now, prepare to have the worst sleep of your life, thanks to my melodic lullabies! There's no escape!"

**END OF CHAPTER**


	8. Destination: Dinosaur Island

The Everlasting Nightmare

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**8. Destination: Dinosaur Island**

**"Finally… My plan is coming to an end. The world of darkness shall engulf me no longer. With my new body, I can camouflage my existence and fool Luna and Simona into thinking I'm still in that horrible dimension. Once they release me, I can retain my regular form."**

**--**

"Mario, what do we do?" shouted the desperate princess.

"You must accept your faith just like everyone else. There's no hope anymore! Now.. Sleep, young ones…" said the clown-like villain floating before the heroic trio.

Mario, Wario and Princess Peach started to become drowsy… Meloda already started creating a soothing melody to make them fall asleep. It was emanating from Meloda herself.

"I think that's quite enough, Meloda!"

A cloaked figure rushed out from the mine's deeper tunnels and bounced up to Dargoul's minion's height. The stranger then fell down onto Meloda's head.

"Wha.. Why, you! Who are you?!" shouted the villain.

"My name is Griphaun. I believe these "heroes" and me have already met. Now, be gone!"

Griphaun then pointed his finger towards Meloda, releasing a puff of smoke. Once it cleared, Meloda was nowhere to be found.

"Griphaun! What are you doing here?" asked Peach.

"Saving you." he replied. The bizarre man rushed right out of the mine, and he seemed to whisper something on his way out. It sounded like…

"Because with out you, it may never work…"

The trio didn't seem to understand. Maybe Griphaun was that man Princess Peach saw in Dilly's mine. All they needed to do at the moment was to return to Flipside. It seems Wario was also immune to falling asleep in Coalway Town… Maybe he truly _is_ one of the heroes…

They're trip back to Flipside went without any problems, except that they had to dig another tunnel to get back, with the help of some villagers, who didn't fall asleep. (Yet…).

Once finished, they explained everything to Dilly and returned to Merlon's home.

"Ah ha! You've finally returned with your second Light Orb. Excellent! Let us make haste towards Flipside Tower." said Merlon.

And that's just what the trio did, introducing Wario to Merlon on the way. When they finally got up the tower, they screwed the top off of the Light Orb, releasing a massive burst of light, just as blinding as the first one.

"Perfect! At this rate, the orbs will be recovered in no time." announced the wizard. "Oh, and I have a surprise for you three…"

They headed back to Merlon's, where he surprised them with an unexpected visit from another old friend, Yoshi!

"Yoshi says that he heard some of his friends talk about a Light Orb on his island." explained Merlon. "I did some research, and it seems he is also one of the heroes, and he can sense where the Light Orbs are located. Yoshi will take you to Dinosaur Island, and he will look for Light Orbs on his own after that, so when you come back, you may find another Light Orb with Luminas waiting to be released! Once you are done on Dinosaur Island, one of Yoshi's friends will bring you back safely."

"Alright, let's go, Yoshi!" said Mario, excited to chow down on Chocolate Island.

I wonder what the word for a pack of four is… Well, we can't call them the "trio" at the moment, but once Yoshi hunts down the orbs on his own, they'll turn into a group of three once again. Will they find the Light Orb on Yoshi's tropical island home, and is Griphaun hiding dark secrets from the past? Keep reading to find out, Chapter 9 is coming soon! (And please review, or I might stop writing.).

**END OF CHAPTER**


	9. King Koopa and the Luminas

The Everlasting Nightmare

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**9. King Koopa and the Light Orb**

"Let's get this trip started!" shouted Yoshi. Of course, Yoshi couldn't speak, but Mario and the gang could tell that he was obviously excited. The trip went pretty smoothly, since Yoshi brought along some friends. He can't carry Wario all alone now, can he?

"Look, I see it!" shouted Peach, pointing at a small brown and green dot in the horizon. It was Dinosaur Island, but it was still pretty far away. That gave our heroes some time to rest and get some shut-eye.

--

What… what is this…? It's dark. There's nothing. Hmmm? I see a person. Hello? Who are you?

"_Gweh heh heh…"_

_--_

"Eeek!" screamed the princess. She was terrified.

"Princess Peach! What happened?" questioned Wario.

"Oh my! I had the most terrible dream! It was all dark.. and I saw this person… He was laughing…" she answered.

"The power of the Nightmare must be getting stronger. We can't stay asleep with it, but we can still see it." replied Mario.

"Look, we're here!" announced Wario.

They finally arrived on Dinosaur Island, Yoshi's homeland. It was as beautiful as Mario and Peach can remember, because Mario once came here to rescue the princess.

They embarked on the isle, bidding Yoshi farewell and good luck on his quest. Yoshi just let out a strange sound like he always does, and departed. Yoshi's friends, however, stayed to assist the trio by acquiring supplies such as food and shelter.

"So, where's the Light Orb?" asked Wario.

The gang couldn't understand the animals' replies, so the Yoshis had to bring Mario, Peach and Wario to the spot where they sighted the Light Orb.

It was in the Valley of Bowser. Who else could have took it but the Koopa King himself?

There were bursts of light coming from inside Bowser's Castle. Were our heroes too late, and did he already release the Luminas?

The gang rushed inside the edifice, only to find something outstanding.

Bowser was just sitting there, on his large throne, observing the many minuscule orbs of light dancing around him.

"Bowser!" shouted Mario, angrily. What could Bowser want with the Light Orb?

"Gwaah? Mario, Wario… and Peach too?! This is my lucky day!" said the colossal Koopa.

"If you think you can kidnap me, think again! Mario and Wario are here to protect me!" shouted Princess Toadstool.

"Gwa ha ha! That's where your wrong, my sweet princess! Luminas, attack!"

So the floating orbs of light where Luminas? Why would they attack Mario and the gang?

The Luminas approached our heroes and let out a gigantic burst of light, the same kind of light that appears when the top of a Light Orb is unscrewed.

The trio was blinded, and Bowser ran towards them and knocked them off their feet.

"I stumbled upon this orb deep inside The Forest Of Illusion, and told the Luminas that I need help saving the world… and that _you_ where the bad guys! With their light power, they can blind any enemy and then I come in for the attack! It's the perfect plan to rule the universe! Gwa ha ha!" announced Bowser.

"No… Luminas, we're your friends! Don't help that brute!" shouted Wario.

"Now, I shall be rid of you once and for all! Take this!" shouted the monster. It seemed that this was the end for our heroes.

Bowser readied his fist and approached Mario, and then…

"Huh?"

"ZzzZzzZZZZzzz"

Bowser had fallen asleep. He had succumbed to the Everlasting Nightmare. Luck was on Mario's side today.

Though there was still one problem… The Luminas were still loose, and they still believed that Mario and his friends were they're foes.

"What can we do to change their minds?" asked Princess Peach.

"I've got it!" shouted Mario. This would be the time where a light bulb is place upon his head.

Mario stuck his hand into one of the pockets in his overalls, and removed an empty Light Orb, one that the Luminas were already released from.

"See? We're good people. We released your friends to stop the _real_ bad guy, Prince Dargoul." said the plumber.

You couldn't see the Luminas' faces, since they were enveloped in light, emanating from their bodies. They just started to dance around again, and swooped down into the Light Orb that Bowser had left on his throne. The gang could now return to Flipside with their newest Light Orb. But what would become of Bowser? They decided to leave him there… It couldn't be helped.

They re-rode the Yoshis, returning to Flipside to see Merlon, and hopefully Yoshi had come back as well, with a Light Orb. Everything went wrong in the middle of their trip back.

"Guys… wait up! Mr. Yoshi, may you please speed up a little?" said the princess. The Yoshi did not answer.

Peach decided to lean forward and see if the Yoshi she was riding was alright, when she realized… he was sleeping!

"Mario, Wario… my Yoshi fell asleep!" she shouted. And that's when she tipped over into the sea.

"Peach!" Mario screamed. He jumped into the water and swam towards Peach. Wario came swimming after. All three of our heroes' Yoshis had fallen asleep, half way back to Flipside.

Mario grabbed Peach and pulled her to the surface.

"Oh! Thank you, Mario!" she said.

"Eh, Mario… the Light Orb! It's gone!" shouted Wario.

Yes, it was indeed gone. It must have fallen out of the red-capped plumber's overalls. But there was _still_ one problem. There always is.

The Light Orb must've fallen deep into the ocean!

**END OF CHAPTER**


	10. Lost At Sea

The Everlasting Nightmare

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**10. Lost At Sea**

Mario and the gang dove deep inside the dark waters, in search of their lost Light Orb. It was quite difficult, since they couldn't go very deep without having to get some air.

"There's gotta be some way to breathe under there!" shouted Wario.

The Clue Compass then started to glow. Mario removed it from his overalls' pocket and it started to glow even more. It was pointing right in front of him.

"That's strange… It's probably detecting the Light Orb that we just lost." said Peach.

Surprisingly, and miraculously, a globe started to form around Mario, then Wario, and finally, Peach. What was happening?

They were all dragged under the sea. And, as I wrote before, miraculously, they could breath!

"What… just happened?" questioned Wario.

Peach swam deeper to pick up their lost Light Orb on a rocky ledge under the sea. The Club Compass was still shining, however.

"I got it! Maybe the Clue Compass gave us the ability to breath under water because there's still another Light Orb down there!" suggested Wario.

If that was the case, the crew had to dive even deeper. As the Clue Compass got lighter, they found themselves in front of an enormous hole.

"What is this?" asked Mario.

At that very moment, a giant eel came charging out of the cave-like opening. On it's tail, a Light Orb!

"There! The next Light Orb!" shouted Peach.

The eel was swimming madly and trying to hit the gang, but they were avoiding each hit.

"Wario! Get the orb!" screamed Mario. The eel, not long after, hit him.

Wario tried to approach the eel from behind to grab the orb, but he was just too quick.

"We gotta slow him down somehow!" he suggested.

"Peach, help Wario!" Mario replied. "Peach?"

She was just floating there, staring at the big fish.

"Mario… That's no eel…" she said.

She grabbed one of her high-heeled shoes and swung it towards the fish's head. Bullseye!

The eel disappeared into a puff of smoke, and the Light Orb dropped to the ground.

Wario swooped down and picked it up.

The cloud of smoke surrounding the eel wasn't gone yet, but when it disappeared.. It revealed… Prince Dargoul!

The trio only saw him for a second, then he vanished into thin air, probably retreating to his lair.

This was not the first time Peach saw something it was not. Back at her castle, which was once in the Mushroom Kingdom, she knew the Toad was actually the evil prince. What kind of powers did she wield?

They returned to the surface and decided to swim back. They couldn't help the sleeping Yoshis either, since they were too heavy to drag, just like Bowser.

They finally got back to Flipside, and Yoshi was waiting for them there, with a surprising two Light Orbs!

They had no idea how Yoshi acquired them, and they were never gonna find out since they couldn't understand his weird language.

The four headed to Merlon's house, now with a total of 6 Light Orbs!

To their surprise, they found Merlon lying on the ground, sleeping. Not him, too!

The only thing they could agree on now was to head to the top of Flipside Tower and open the orbs, and that's just what they did. It seemed that the sky got lighter and lighter every time they would do so. Their mission was coming to an end.

"Alright, now let's go to our next destination, with the help of the Clue Compass!" said Mario.

Yoshi seemed to wanna head his own way again, because he just left in the completely opposite direction of the trio. Anyway, Mario, Peach and Wario followed the directions of the Clue Compass once again, this time leading them to the most dangerous area they could imagine. It was time.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	11. Luna, Mistress of Light

The Everlasting Nightmare

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**11. Luna, Mistress of Light**

Our heroes found themselves in front of the dimension Prince Dargoul had created, where all the dreams come and turn into nightmares. The Clue Compass indicated to go inside.

"It's finally time…" whispered Mario.

"Okay, on three… One… Two…"

"Three!" shouted the whole crew, as they bounced into the vortex.

They were inside this bizarre gap, probably between Dargoul's dimension and their own… It was filled with flashy lights of all different colors… some colors that nobody had ever seen, colors too beautiful to create.

They spun around for a while until they reached the end of the "tunnel" they were traveling through. Mario and co. appeared in a dark place… There was absolutely nothing, only darkness. They heard whispers and screams; they saw ghastly images and balls of light turn into dark ones.

"This place is horrifying…" said Peach.

The gang slowly walked around in the empty world, until they reached its end. It was blank. It was like walking on a purple piece of paper, reaching its edge and realizing that there's nothing there. Just white.

"What do we do? It's a dead end…" said Wario. But not all hope was lost.

"We have to jump!" announced the brave Mario.

"Jump? Are you nuts? There's… nothing there!" replied Wario, shocked.

"Wario… It's true. It's the only option." said the princess.

"Let's-a go!" shouted Mario. He jumped down the edge of this weird world, and it seemed like an endless pit, but it wasn't. As he fell lower, it got darker, and he finally fell brutally onto the drawbridge of a castle. It must be Prince Dargoul's.

Every great villain had a castle, but out of all the castles our trio had seen, this one was the most imposing, with its beautiful windows, large and tall towers and magnificent shape.

"Well, this must be the place…" said Peach. She gulped.

They entered the edifice.

**MEANWHILE…**

"Powz, we seem to have intruders! The power of my Darkness Dimension seemed to have weakened because of all the Luminas that were released. It weakened enough for that pesky plumber and his friends to come inside… I sense them near. Take care of this situation!" demanded Dargoul.

"Ay, right away sire!" replied Powz, itching for a fight. He rushed off, in search of our heroes.

BACK WITH MARIO…

The halls were enormous and long, and the portraits were very strange. They were pictures of _good_ things, like fields and flowers, candy and care. But then, suddenly…

The portraits transformed into horrible scenes, like ghosts and goblins, thunder and terror. The good dreams were being twisted into nightmares!

"By now, almost all of the earth must be asleep. We have to hurry!" said Wario. The group rushed to the end of the corridor, but they were intercepted by Powz.

"Eek! Who are you?" screamed Princess Toadstool.

"I, my fair maiden, am Powz, loyal servant of Prince Dargoul. I am here to stop you from going any further!" said the villainous brute.

"Stay out of our way, meathead!" shouted Mario.

"MEATHEAD? NOW YOU'VE DONE IT!" screamed their foe.

He ran towards Mario and body slammed him so hard that he went flying back to the front of the hall.

"Mario!" shouted the worried Princess.

She ran to Mario, while Wario was trying to hold off Powz. Mario and Peach ran back to the end of the room.

"Mario, Peach, keep going! I'll hold him off!" Wario shouted.

"But.. Wario…"

"Just go!"

The duo nodded and proceeded to the next room. It was a large chamber with four thrones at its end, three slightly smaller than the one above them, where their most fearsome enemy awaited the princess and the plumber.

"Ah, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting a long time for this encounter." said Dargoul.

"Well here we are! Get ready to be defeated, you scoundrel!" said Peach.

"You stand no chance of defeating me!" the prince replied. "Because of you, I haven't seen Meloda or Claire since they met you. But it does not matter, I have enough strength to take you down in one blow!"

"What do you mean you haven't seen Meloda or Claire since we met them?" questioned Mario.

"Don't be a fool, I know you got rid of them. I don't know how you did it, but you'll pay. Take this!" answered the shady-looking character.

He spread out his arms and produced a dark ball of energy that he sent flying towards Mario and Peach.

"Say goodbye!"

All hope was lost… Until…

"Stop!"

Griphaun intercepted the attack, taking the blow himself.

"You two, head to the next room and release Luna, the Mistress of Light. She is the only one who can stop Dargoul!" he shouted.

Once again, the duo nodded and rushed towards the next door, leaving Griphaun behind to fight the evil prince. Who was this "Luna" person?

As they entered, they noticed a beautiful woman, with long, blond hair and gold glowing eyes. She was sporting a long and gorgeous purple dress.

"Are you… Luna?" asked Peach.

"Indeed." The woman's voice was so serene, and it was echoing loudly in the chamber. "I have been sealed here since Dargoul started creating this dimension. He knew that I was the only one able to stop him. But now, I am powerless, since he drained all of my magic. I am the mistress of light, and if I had my magic, we could seal Dargoul in his own world."

"But we still don't have all of the Light Orbs!" explained Mario.

And that's when they heard a sort of triumphant sound. A kind of squeak, a strange, incomprehensible sound.

It was Yoshi! He returned with another amazing 2 Light Orbs! Fantastic! They seemed empty, so he had probably already used them.

"Excellent! Now we only need 1 more orb…" said Peach.

"Dargoul keeps it under his throne. I don't know why he didn't destroy it… He seemed to hesitate over that." explained the Mistress.

"Well, we need to get that orb!" shouted Mario.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	12. Releasing the Shadow King

The Everlasting Nightmare

**The Everlasting Nightmare**

**12. Releasing the Shadow King**

Mario exited the room, only to find Griphaun still fighting Dargoul. He tried to open the hatch under Dargoul's chair, but it was locked. He returned to Luna's prison cell.

"It's locked!" he announced.

"There's only one thing left to do. We must release Dargoul's father, the Shadow King."

"The… Shadow King?" asked the crew. They gulped soon after.

"Yes. Prince Dargoul's father was once the ruler of the shadows. He commanded them we he needed them to scare, or when he needed them to help."

"Help? Who could scary things such as shadows help people?" questioned Princess Peach.

"Please, let me finish. When nighttime comes, shadows can make it dark. Nobody can sleep with the sun in the sky, can they? The shadows also punished people if they committed a crime, by going into their dreams. It was just to teach them a lesson, so the Shadow King didn't have a very cruel job. That job was passed on to him by his father, and he was going to pass on that job to Prince Dargoul."

"He _was_ going to pass on that job? Why didn't he?" asked Mario.

"The Shadow King married a woman, her name was Simona. She is my sister. Simona can tell the future, and when Dargoul's father wed her, she told him that if he were to alter the future, he would be cursed and sentenced to a lifetime stay inside a dark place. Nobody knows where that place is but her. She was called "Miss Fortune", because everyone who ever married her only saw grim things in the future. And once proposed to, Miss Fortune couldn't say no, or she would be banished to the world of darkness herself."

"This is all very complicated, but I think I understand. So we need to find Simona to release the Shadow King? Where could she be?" asked Princess Toadstool.

"Her, too, is sealed in within these chambers. She is in the next room, and it used to be locked, but I think you've retrieved enough Light Orbs to unlock. Simply place the empty orbs into the indents on the door." explained Luna.

That crew placed the orbs in the holes, just like Luna asked. The door slowly opened, revealing a scary-looking female, with dark, silver hair and very pale skin. Her face was completely covered with her long hair. Not even her chin was visible.

"**_What do you want with me?" _**asked the dastardly woman.

"Simona? We need you to release the Shadow King." explained the main character.

"_**WHAT? THE SHADOW KING? He is nothing but trouble, I tell you! I regretted marrying him. He is the reason his son is doing all of this!" **_

"What? Please explain!" demanded Luna. "Dargoul's father was a great man, he used his control over the shadows for good, not evil!"

"**_Fine. I'll tell you the truth. Dargoul's father __was__ a great man, until he got tired of his profession. His son turned very ill, and he learned that in advance with my help, because I can see the future. Before his son's disease became fatal, he gave him the right medicine and disobeyed my rules. He altered the future, so I banished him to another realm. During the banishing process, his son came up to him, and the Shadow King's final words were… "The… darkness". He wanted his son to turn the world dark and become a villain, twisting dreams into nightmares, just like he is doing now. That's why I will not release him; he has the same mind as the evil Dargoul. When I banished him, I sent his faithful "shadows" with him, so nobody could cause any more trouble. But I couldn't do anything about his pesky child." _**explained Simona.

"That's not true! His final words were spoken out of fear! He was afraid of the darkness in your cruel dimension, Simona! He didn't want this!"

"_**Oh, please, Luna! You don't know a thing about him like I do. You don't even recall his name! And remember, I see the future. I can't be wrong. And I see the future now, and it is very grim…"**_

"That may be so, but you still _must_ release him! If you are right and he _does _want to do the same as his son, matters can't be worse than they are right now! Simona, release him!" shouted the Mistress of Light.

"Simona, Luna is right! You have to release Dargoul's dad, it's the only option." said Peach.

"_**FINE! I'll do it, but you shall see… the future… is… GRIM!" **_

Miss Fortune then began making strange hand gestures, opening a void in the very fabric of space. Her arms grew, and she reached down into the dimension. A male screams was then heard from the room Griphaun and Dargoul were fighting in.

"**_He's here…" _**said Simona. There was a breeze inside the cell, and shadows were dancing around on the walls. There was definitely a presence, but was it good?

"_**FINALLY, I AM FREE!"**_

That terrifying voice echoed everywhere in the room.

"**_Griff… We need you to stop your son." _**said Simona.

"**_WITH PLEASURE!" _**answered the voice. The breeze flew out of the rooms and the shadows disappeared. The gang rushed out to where Prince Dargoul was… and what they saw was utterly devastating.

A ghastly spirit was holding Prince Dargoul by the neck, absorbed all of his power, and Dargoul let out a scream. It was a terrible scream, a scream that you would never get out of your mind. The villain was then reduced to dust, and the dust disappeared in the wind. Dargoul was defeated.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	13. Griphaun's Grim Past

The Everlasting Nightmare: The Final Chapter

**The Everlasting Nightmare: The Final Chapter**

**13. Griphaun's Grim Past**

"_**THE JOB IS DONE. IS THAT ALL?" **_asked the petrifying spirit who destroyed Dargoul.

"Yes, thank you, Shadow King." replied Luna.

"_**YOU WISH! YOU THINK I'M FINISHED? SIMONA, YOU BANISHED ME INSIDE THAT HORRIBLE PLACE FOR CENTURIES, AND NOW I CAN FINALLY TAKE MY REVENGE!"**_

The spirit pointed his finger at Miss Fortune, and her too, was reduced to dust.

"Oh… Oh no… Simona was right!" shouted Luna.

"What? Then that means… The Shadow King is… evil?" screamed Peach.

**"YOU BET I AM! I HAVE BEEN PLOTTING ALL OF THIS SINCE I WAS INSIDE SIMONA'S DASTARDLY WORLD WHERE SHE BANISHED ME. THE BIGGER PART OF ME WAS STILL STUCK IN THE DIMENSION, BUT I MANAGED TO GET THE HELP OF MY SHADOWS TO MAKE ME A NEW BODY… ONE I CALLED… GRIPHAUN."**

"You're… Gri- Griphaun?" shouted Mario. The _real_ villain behind this whole thing was actually Griphaun himself! He created that body with the help of the shadows he controlled as his job, the ones Simona banished with him!

**"THAT'S RIGHT. I AM THE ONE WHO DESTROYED CLAIRE AND MELODA, I AM THE ONE WHO CREATED THE CLUE COMPASS. I AM THE ONE WHO HELPED YOU INSIDE THE JUNGLE OF WRAH, WHERE YOU FOUND YOUR FIRST LIGHT ORB. I DID IT, BECAUSE I KNEW IT WOULD COME TO THIS. I PLOTTED AND PLOTTED AND FIGURED IT OUT. I WOULD RULE THE UNIVERS ONCE YOU WOULD RELEASE ME TO STOP DARGOUL."**

"So… when you said "The… Darkness…", you did mean that you wanted your son to do this? You were just using your own son! And then, you destroy him! Griff, you're a monster!" shouted Luna.

**"IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOU THINK OF ME, NOBODY COULD STOP ME NOW! I AM FREE TO USE MY SHADOW MINIONS FOR EVIL! GWEH HEH HEH!"**

"Mario, this is dangerous! He can just point at us and turn us to dust! What do we do? It's the end!" shouted Peach.

"No… There's still hope!" answered our hero.

He rushed to Dargoul's throne.

"Hey, Griff!" he shouted.

**"WHAT IS IT, YOU FOOL?"**

"Try and catch me!" Mario replied.

"What's he doing? Mario, are you crazy?" screamed Luna.

**"ALRIGHT, I'LL PLAY YOUR LITTLE GAME… HOLD STILL!"**

Griff pointed his finger at Mario and… Right when the beam was going to hit Mario…

Mario bounced out of the way, so Griff reduced the box under Dargoul's throne to dust, releasing the Light Orb!

"Oh, so that's what he was thinking!" said Peach.

"Enough chatting, we need to open up that Light Orb!" shouted the Mistress of Light.

The plumber grabbed the orb and jumped onto Yoshi. Luna, Mario, Peach and the lizard rushed out of the castle.

**"NO! THE LIGHT ORB! COME BACK!"**

Griff was chasing them down the halls. When they reached the drawbridge, they realized that they had to go up! But… how?

"We need to get back up on the ledge!" announced Peach.

The Clue Compass once again started to glow. They were once again enveloped in a glowing ball, in which they could float up. Luna, though, was staying down.

"Luna, hurry up!" shouted Mario.

"No, you go! I might still have enough energy to hold Griff off and leave you time to open the orb. You three, save the universe, for me!" she answered. She was completely out of view in a few seconds, and the crew heard another scream

"Hurry, let's get out of this place!" said Peach.

The trio jumped into the vortex again, where they reunited with the beautiful colors and the tunnel-like path, bringing them back to Flipside. The sky was dark and everyone was still asleep… Normally, they would all be awake and the sky would be clear since 9 Light Orbs where opened. It was probably because Griff's power kept Prince Dargoul's Darkness Dimension wide open, still twisting dreams.

Our heroes rushed to the top of Flipside Tower, maybe for the last time, in an attempt to save the world.

"Here we go!" shouted Mario.

**"NO! STOP! DON'T DO THIS, JOIN ME! HELP ME RULE THE EARTH!"**

They heard Griff's voice from inside the Darkness Dimension. Hopefully, he didn't come out yet, because they needed to seal him in.

"I'm sorry, but **no thanks!**" shouted Mario. He unscrewed the top of the final Light Orb.

The light was stronger and brighter than ever. It was so strong, it seemed to traverse through walls and bring an enormous heat wave to Flipside.

**"NOOOOOO!!"**

Light returned to the sky and the townsfolk awakened. They rushed to Merlon's.

"Merlon! You're awake! And Luigi too!" shouted Mario, with joy.

"Congratulations, heroes! You saved the world once again!" said Merlon.

"Wait… We won't be positive that we saved the world until we check on the castle." suggested the cautious princess.

The crew headed to the room where the portal was, and it was indeed gone.

"Well, it's official. You guys did it!" said Luigi.

"It's-a me, Mario!"

--

_And thus, the world was saved once again by Mario and the gang. Merlon magically transported Peach's castle back to the Mushroom Kingdom, and Luigi and Mario got back to helping Toads in need, and embark on other adventures. But whatever happened to Wario and Powz? And the book "Countering the Nightmare"? Was it destiny for one of the heroes to not make it through? That, we may never know. All we know is that Mario, Peach, Luigi, Yoshi, Merlon, all the other people we met in this tale, and even Bowser, lived happily ever after… for now._

**END OF STORY…**

**_or is it?_**


End file.
